It is a lovely evening and you have come for a stroll along the beach but you do not feel all that great. The thought of baring your chest is embarrassing as you suspect you are suffering from gynecomastia. You have a lot of questions in mind about this health condition but the embarrassment of getting exposed keeps you from asking those questions. For all those and many more commonly asked questions here are the answers:
1.What is gynecomastia?
Gynecomastia is a health condition wherein the male breasts get enlarged similar to the female breasts. This condition is quite common among men and happens due to a number of factors. It is also known as ‘man boobs’.
2.Why does gynecomastia occur?
One of the commonly cited reasons for gynecomastia is the imbalance of the female hormone estrogen. Other common reasons are obesity, lack of exercise , use of too many steroids, aging, recreational drugs and side effects of medicines.
3.Can I hide gynecomastia?
It is always wiser to find a way to get rid of the condition rather than hide it. However, until you find a suitable remedy you can try compression garments. These are a kind of fabric that applies pressure on the chest area making it look flat. The bulge may also be covered up by wearing double t-shirts. Many believe that wearing printed shirts will cover up the problem.
4.Is there a difference between full-blown gynecomastia and puffy nipples?
Puffy nipples is a condition in which the areola accumulates fat or glandular tissue and the areola looks like a dome-shape and it sometimes extends further. On the other hand, full-blown gynecomastia is when the entire breast area gets affected due to glandular or fat accumulation.
5.Is Gynecomastia treatable?
If the cause for gynecomastia is obesity, it can be treated by exercising. One can also take medications to bring down the levels of estrogen. It can also be removed by surgery wherein excess fat will be removed by liposuction and excess tissue excised.
6. How can gynecomastia be prevented?
Regular exercising and a well-balanced diet will definitely keep gynecomastia at bay. Eat foods that do not elevate the level of estrogen and avoid medications whose side effect is gynecomastia. It is always good to keep away from drugs and alcohol as it may elevate estrogen levels in the body.
7.What is the difference between true gynecomastia and pseudogynecomastia?
Both look similar, gynecomastia is caused due to glandular enlargement whereas pseudogynecomastia is due to accumulation of fatty tissue.
8.Is surgery a safe option for gynecomastia?
Surgery is a safe option for gynecomastia, however one can adopt that only if there is no other option. In case, the gynecomastia is just fat accumulation and improves by cardio exercises and strength training then one need not go for surgery.
9.What is the recovery time for surgery?
The recovery time for surgery is normally 3-4 days. One may need to wear a surgical vest initially to avoid infection for the first 48 hours after which the area will heal by itself.
